The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-05-06
CHAPTER VIII.
JESS GOES TO PRETORIA.

CHAPTER VIII
JESS GOES TO PRETORIA.
That day, at dinner, Jess suddenly an
nounced that she wa going on the morrow
to Pretoria to see Jane Neville.
ITO sec Jane Neville!" said Bessie, OPENING
her blue eyes wide. "Why, it was only las
month you said that you did not care about
Jane Neville now, because she had grown sc
vulgar. Don't you remember when she
stopped here OH her way down to Natal last
year, and held up her fat hands. and said
'Ah, Jess-Jess is genius! It is a privilege
to know her. And then she wanted YOU tc
quote Shakespeare to that lump of brother
of hers, and you told her that il see did no,
hold her tongue she would not enjoy the
privilege much longer. And now you want
to 60 and stop with her for two months
Well, jess, you are odd. And, what's more,
think it is very unkind of you to 60 away
for SO long"
To all of which prattle Jess said nothing,
but merely reiterated her determination to 20.
john, too, was astonished and, to tell the
truth, not little disguised. Since the pre-
vious day, when he had that talk with her III
Lion Kloof, Jess had assumed clearer and
more difnite interest in his eyes. Before that
she had been an enigma: now he had guessed
enough about her to make him anxious to
know more. Indeed, he had not perhaps
realized how strong and definite his interest
was till he heard that she was going away
for long period, Suddenly it struck him
that the farm would be very duh without
this interesting woman moving about the
place in her silent, resolute kind Of way.
Bessie was, no doubt, delightful and charm
ing to look on, but she had not got her sis
ter's brains and originality; and John Mel
was sufficiently above the ordinary run to thor
oughly appreciate intellect and originality in a
woman, instead Of standing aghast at it. She
interested him intensely, to say the least of it,
and, manlike, he felt exceedingly put out,
and even sulky, at the idea of her departure.
He looked ct her in remonstrance, and even,
In awkwardness begotten of his irritation,
knocked down the vinegar cruet and made
mess upon tho table; but she eyaded his eyes
and took no notice Of the vinegar. Then,
feeling that he had done all that in him lay,
he went to see about the ostriches; first Of all.
hanging about little to see IL Jess would
come out, which she did not Indeed, he saw
nothing more Of her till supper time. Bessie
told him that she said she was busy packing;
but, as one can only take twenty pounds
weight Of luggage in q post cart, this did not
quite convince him that it, was. SO in fact.
At supper she was, il possible, even more
quiet than she had been 1t did After it
was over he asked her to sing. but she de-
clined, saying that she had given up singing
Tor the present, and persisting In her state
ment in spite Of the chorus Of remonstrance it
aroused. The birds only sing while they are
mating; and 1t is, by the way. a curious
thing, and suggestive Of the theory that the
same great principles pervade all nature, that
Jess, now that her trouble had overtaken her,
and that she had lost her love which had sud-
denly sprung from her hcart-full grown and
clad In power as Athena sprung from the
head Of Jove-had no further inclination to
Use her divine gift Of song. 1t probably was
1othing more than q coincidence, but it was .
furious one.
The arrangement was that on the morrow
less was to be driven in the Cape cart to
Hartinus- Wesselstroom, more commonly |
allied Wakkerstroom, and there catch the |
,ost cart, which was timed to leave the town |
It midday, though when it would leave was
Iuite another matter. Post carts are not par |
ocular to a day or so in the Transvaal
Old Silas Croft was going to drive her with
BESSIE, who had some shopping to do in WAX
restroom, as ladies sometimes have; but at
he last moment the old man got Fremont
DRY twinge Of the rheumatism, to which he
vas martyr, and could not 60, 30, of course,
Ohm volunteered, and, though Jess raised
ONE difficulties, Bessie furthered the idea,
nd in the end his offer was accepted.
Accordingly at $50 on beautiful morning
p came the tented cart, with its two massive
Wheels stout stinkwood disselboom, and four
pirited young horses; to the head of which
be Hottentot Jantje, assisted by the Zulu
touti, clad in the sweet simplicity Of q
loocha, few feathers in his wool, and .
orn snuff box stuck through the feshy part
the ear, hung grhnly on. In they GOT
ohm first, then Bessie next to him, then Jess.
Text Jantje scrambled up behind; and after
pine preliminary backing and plungiug, and
howing a disposition to Irvine themselves
round the orange trees. of
'ent the horses at a hand gallop, and away
wung the cart after them, in a fashion that
1ould have frightened anybody not accuse
'med to that mode Of progression pretty well
ut Of his wits. As it was, John had as much
he could do to keep the four horses together
nd to prevent them from boiling, and this
lone, to say nothing of the rafting and
biting of the vehicle over the uneven track I
'as sufficient to put a stop to any attempt at
Wakkerstroom was about eighteen miles I
'om Mooifontein, q distance that they
overed well within the two hours, Here tho !
orses were outspanned at the hotel. aud John {
ent into the house whence the post cart was !
start and booked Jess seat, and then Joined rs
10 ladies at the "Kantoor," or store where {
icy were shopping. After the shopping was J
one they went back to the inn together and s
i'd some dinner; by which time the Hotten- i
It driver of the cart began to tune up Justify,
1T unmelodiously, on bugle to inform in Q
nding passengers that it was time to start. i
essie was out Of the room at the moment, '
I'd, with the exception Of peculiarly dirty r
oking coolie waiter, there was nobody o
,out y
"How long are you going to be away, Miss
,esi" asked John. v
1.-TWO months, more or less, Capt. Mel" b
u am very sorry that you are going," he C
i'd, earnestly. ut will be very dull at the a
rm without you" u
"There will be Bessie for you to talk to-" v
q answered, turning her face to the win r
w and affecting to watch the inspanning b
the post cart in the yard on which it Il
oked. n
"Capt. Mel" she said, suddenly.